Mexico to the Mountains 85 



wastes of hard, unprofitable soil. The palmettos 

 are here by the thousand, and their fantastic shapes 

 gave the appearance of horsemen of gigantic size, 

 riding through grass almost as tall. 



May 1st. Robber's Rancho, once a fine 

 hacienda, was burned by the Americans, in the 

 last war, for the rascality of its owners; it is on 

 a beautiful plain, but brush has grown up in the 

 now neglected fields, and all is in ruins. Here 

 we came near losing Lieut. Browning from 

 cholera, but he was saved by Dr. Trask's indefat- 

 igable exertions. 



May 12th. Near Monterey. We have been 

 here four days having horses and mules shod, and 

 I will take my pencil notes and write up my journal 

 to date. 



We were at Robber's Rancho a week, waiting 

 for Bachman, Elmslie and Carrol, who had been 

 left with Doubleday. As soon as they rejoined 

 us we moved on to Papogias [Popagallos] then 

 to Ramos where we met some French traders with 

 a long train of mules and their "cargoes." 



Ramos was followed by Marin and Aquafrio; 

 all present a dilapidated appearance, very dififer- 

 ent from what was seen when the country was 

 under the fine system of irrigation, and the remains 

 of past opulence everywhere sadden the traveller. 



We reached Walnut Springs, five miles from 

 Monterey, on the 8th of May, and are taking 



